
37 Ghosts
Project Type: Short
Genres: Thriller, Horror, Drama
Runtime: 16 minutes 12 seconds
Completion Date: October 1, 2018
Shooting Format: 4K RAW
Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1
A hired gun, haunted by the ghosts of his past kills, and struggling with guilt, goes on his final hit.
Laurels
37 Ghosts - Trailer
Synopsis
Why do I so often do the things I hate? Harvey knows what he is doing is wrong. He tries every day to find forgiveness. Father Andrew grows weary of the hours he spends hearing Harvey talk around the problem without actually confessing what he has done. Harvey is a hit man who wants another job. The problem is, he can’t get away from the ghosts. Every one, all 36 victims, show up at various, inconvenient times to jibe at him. They are beginning to throw him off his game and distract him from the job at hand. All of them, that is, except the first one. Angelica wasn’t the target, her father was. She got in the way, and now Harvey can’t sleep —her face is always there, her voice in his head. She says she forgives him. Why can’t that be enough?
Harvey decides to quit playing the game and get out of the business. The Boss said he could leave any time. His wife is begging him to take her on a long vacation, and he almost has enough to visit Venice. Just one more time, and he will be home free. He promises. A dark night, a single shot to the chest of the victim, collect the cash and take off. It would be simple, if the Ghosts would just leave him alone.
Director’s Statement
37 Ghosts was an idea I had several years ago when I was still studying film in college. For various reasons I never made it as a student project, but the story stuck with me. Years later the time was right, and 37 Ghosts was born.
The story follows Harvey, a devout Christian who goes to confession daily, but also murders people for a living. The conflict between what he believes to be true and good, and what he does on a daily basis is tearing apart his marriage, his health, and his faith. Added to that, he's haunted by the ghosts of everyone he killed, with Angelica, his unintended first victim, a particular source of grief. Her innocence and eagerness to forgive Harvey and see him turn his life around only serves as a further reminder of his guilt.
I think that we as people are not so far away from Harvey. While we might not go around killing people for a living, we have a tendency to do the things that we think are most reprehensible. It doesn't take much research to find a plethora of high profile people who would condemn things from adultery, drug use, lying, sexual abuse or harassment, stealing, etc, who have also committed those same acts. Why do we do the things we hate? Why can't we be consistent? These are some of the questions 37 Ghosts raises. From a high vantage point, the entire film can be seen as the interplay between sin/guilt and repentance/forgiveness.
37 Ghosts is a stand alone short film that tells a complete story. But there's a lot more to be explored this mythos than can be contained in a 16 minute film. Our ultimate goal would be to make 37 Ghosts into a feature that further explores these themes and shows the evolution of Harvey's inner struggle.
37 Ghosts - Short Film
Credits
Directed by: Collins Abbott White
Written by: Collins Abbott White
Harvey: Graham Zielinski
Angelica: Audrey Dickson
Boss: Merritt Vann
Target: Jake Tubbs
Father Andrew: Russ Wood
Mellony: Clarka Wickliffe
Number 2: John Oliver
Number 3: Matt Tomlinson
Number 4: Janie Board
Number 5: Bradley Piper
Number 6: Asa King
Number 7: Trevor Furlong
Number 8: John Eby
Ghost Ensemble
Eric Anonsen, MiiMii Beaulieu, Cazzie Blocker, Drew Bolin, Brandon Bothur, Justin Brown, Martha Bunn, Norman Bunn, Kolby Carginan, Keith Carginan, Christian Cortes, Wanda Dickson, Lindsay Dixon, Ted Ford, Nathan Forest, David Johnson, Stephanie Klimowych, David Malpass, Eilidh McKinnon, Miriam Moss, Joe Novony, Nick Novotny, Jay Spivey
Executive Producer: Collins Abbott White
Co-Producer: Tedd Lane
Co-Producer: Diana Valerie
First Assistant Director: David Bliss
Second Assistant Director: Kyle Waters
Script Supervisor: Dawn Johnson
Director of Photography: Tedd Lane
First Assistant Camera: Will Driskill
Second Assistant Camera: Kate Cupples
Key Grip: Marshall O. Wells III
Key Makeup Artist: Diana Valerie
Special effects makeup artist: Paul Jutras
Set Designer: Joey Loman
Prop Design: Talmadge Swanson
Sond Mixer: Mark Cochran
Boom Operator: Michael Moncrief
Stunts: Cody Freeland
Editor: Collins Abbott White
Composer: Joe Wehunt
Still Photographers
Ashley, McHam, Erik Olsen, Amy Randall
Production Assistants
Brandon Bothur, Graeme Hanson
Special Thanks
Martha Bunn
Norman Bunn
Beth Meaders
Bobby Meaders
Randall Owens
Dan Sandy
37 Ghosts BTS: Stars Clarka Wickliffe and Graham Zelinski wait as DP Tedd Lane sets up his shot. Photo by: David Bliss
37 Ghosts BTS: Production Sound Mark Cochran places a mic on Actor Graham Zelinski. Photo by: David Bliss
37 Ghosts BTS: Director Collins White looks at the monitor. Photo by: David Bliss
37 Ghosts BTS: Script Supervisor Dawn Johnson. Photo By: David Bliss